[Flashback] And then she grew hooves [Pygmy]

[Amon]

Amon gave a slight nod when Pygmy held the door open for him. He appreciated it, he really did. But her words made him roll his eyes in slight irritation. So defensive was she! Secretive, as if she was trying to retain some mystery that was necessary for her very survival. And perhaps it was. When they sat down at Pygmy’s preferred table, he settled the box of weapons on the floor, content and relieved that his shoulders would no longer ache and cramp from the burden of carrying it. But the girl’s words still stirred heavily in his mind. Never had he screwed around with whores or promiscuous women in the like, but the vibe from her implied some form of shady behavior. He shook his head warily, tapping his temple with a gloved hand before he spoke. “I would not want to pry, I guess. But then if you will not tell me where you are from, at least you will enlighten me on how you came about those eyes. They are fascinating.” A crooked grin. It was true. By then he had gotten used to them, but it was still very much intriguing. What was the harm in knowing? A moment later and the waitress approached, placing a hand on her jutted hip, staring at them almost impatiently. “Well? What’ll ya have?” She barked. Amon looked at Pygmy for a moment. “I will have what she is having.”

[Dhanya]

Pygmy smiled joyously at the waitress, who recognised her and sighed in response. Pygmy was a regular and since the advent of her poverty, a rather poor tipper. She'd been known to sit about drinking water for hours, pretending to be waiting for someone, just so she could warm up by the fire. She wasn't a nightmare but she also wasn't without her little annoyances.

"The usual, Susan, Big plate of roast vegetables, salt and beer." This was her usual when she had money, which was rarely. "Two, actually!"

Susan wandered off and Pygmy had to quickly decide just how to answer Amon's question. It was one she had to field regularly, to the point of annoyance. Amon was flattering and feeding her though and didn't seem to be taking the piss like so many others before him. Of course, he was also a tourist, more a tourist that she was and if there was a universal truth in life, it was that you should mislead tourists.

"Funny story, actually." She said, placing both hands in front of her, clasped together. "I was out about a month ago, outskirts of town, minding my own business... As you do... I was waiting for a friend to go fishing, boring story, won't go into it. Anyway, I'm waiting around for my friend and I spy this old man standing on his head. I go up to him and I say, 'you're the wrong way up, old man,' and he says, 'maybe it is you who is the wrong way up, girl child,' so I say, 'your face is a girl,' and he says, 'that's very offensive,' and I say, 'so's your face,' anyway turned out it was the god Ionu and he cursed my eyes for giving him lip. They do good beer here."

During the telling of her entirely false tale, their drinks had arrived. Pygmy took a sip of hers. She recalled that it actually wasn't the best beer in the world but she wouldn't remember that after the fourth or fifth pint. It all worked out in the end.

[Amon]

He didn’t quite understand how Pygmy could go about being so sweet and lively after confronting a she-witch that was the waitress. At least that was Amon’s take on things. Perhaps he would have done the same, rarely does he ever truly get angry, but becoming irritated is far more common. He rapped the table lightly and nodded towards Pygmy. So she was a drinker, he smiled. Interesting. When Pygmy began to speak again, he watched her, curiously. But as soon as she finished, he rolled his eyes. Defensive again! How utterly frustrating. Sakima’s thoughts breezed through his mind easily then. It’s not as if her history is any important anyway. Amon shook his head, No, but the reasoning behind it is just begging to be discovered. Perhaps, the eagle chirped. “So I see you like storytelling. Do you usually give people the same story or switch it up from person to person?” His tone of voice sounded as if he was jesting, there was no harsh look on his face, just a grin, because he clearly understood her intentions. Now making her uncomfortable was not on his agenda, but what could he say? He was a stupidly curious individual. When the drinks arrived, he gingerly sipped at his, grimacing in response to the bitter taste, but the buzz would be welcoming in this instance.

[Dhanya]

"If I'm to be a curiousity, I'm going to be so on my own terms." She said, in way of a reply. "Never let the truth ruin a good story and all that."

That was the root of it. She didn't want to go home and she didn't like explaining what she was to city folk. She imagined that the further she got from Zeltiva, the more comfortable she'd feel. She also liked that, for the first time in her life, she really was beholden to no one. There was no one that she absolutely had to answer to.

"How'd you come about your hair, Red?" She asked.

Their food arrived surprisingly quickly. It smelled heavenly to Pygmy. She stabbed a piece of sweet potato with her fork and bit into it, they'd seasoned it with rosemary that day. It was as sweet as ambrosia to her empty stomach.

"Gods do I love food." She added, chewing with her mouth closed and placing her fork down when she was finished.

Aside from her gusto, she was surprisingly prim when she ate. Moreso than Amon might have expected.

[Amon]

“I suppose you have a point,” he responded with a curt nod. “But talking so much about myself can get a bit tiring. Learning more about the outside world intrigues me more than relaying my history to people.” He eyed her with a coy smile, “But for you, lovely Pygmy, of course it’s no heavy burden to talk of myself for you.” Fine, he would leave it alone. It appeared it was set in stone, her mindset. Stubborn, but still oddly adorable. He didn’t mind her outlook on her own events that transcribed her past. He, after all, had never had a very traumatic childhood, so relaying his own history wasn’t as touchy as say, a thief’s or a serial killers. Or a politician. He was about to respond to her own question when their food arrived. He watched as she devoured her food in ravaging necessity, as if she hadn’t eaten for quite a while. And perhaps she hadn’t, but of course he wouldn’t pry. “It’s natural,” He said, matter-of-factly, “We all have it--well, the Inarta that is.” He picked at the vegetables, debating which one to bite into first, he settled with the potato. “Is it really so strange? I have heard of men that have blue skin, is red hair as different and interesting as that?” He continued picking apart his meal, until he was left with nothing left on his plate but the fork he had set on it. He sipped once more at his beer, finally taking the chance to take their surroundings in. Ah, there were the stares again. How bothersome.

[Dhanya]

Pygmy finished her food quickly, placing her fork in the middle of her plate with the tines down. She drank her beer as Amon spoke, finishing her pint before he was even halfway through his first. She hailed Susan for another, ordering one for Amon without asking him.

"Red hair's intriguing though." She said, drawing out the first syllable of intriguing. "Those blue guys are Akalaks, they're freakish. They don't have any women, they just spend all their time trying to get other races' girls into their city. It's all touchy feely, creepy. My mum always said to avoid them..."

Jenon had too, when she thought back on it, though he'd never gone into specifics. Pygmy would not find out about their habit of buying Kelvic slaves for many seasons. She noticed Amon looking around them and realising they were being stared at.

"Don't worry about them, Syliras is really... I think the word is insular. They're probably more bothered about me than you, red hair isn't, well it's unusual. Could be moreso, if you know what I mean?" Pygmy caught the eye of one particularly obvious starer and smiled at him, flicking her tongue out between her lips and over her teeth. He looked away.

She snickered, "the big city is more boring than I ever expected, the people too, I'm going to leave soon as I get a horse..."

Secret :

Politicians, lol!

[Amon]

Amon didn’t bother stopping her from ordering more, what was a few coins to waste here when he could return home and have no need for coins at all. Might as well spend it while he can, but the fact she was ordering even more pints made him smirk. And then he settled himself to listening to her explanation of the Akalaks, and he quirked a brow. “They do not have women? Ah, yes, an all male race, much like the white healers are all female.” He mused, beginning his odd habit of tapping the wooden surface of the table for several chimes. “Interesting how it all plays out. What if they run out of women, do they die out?” And then she did the oddest thing. The sheer hilarity of her actions made him burst out laughing, and he even turned to look at the man she had directed it towards, who now stared at the wall as if he had seen a ghost. “Do you do that often?” He asked, glancing back at her. “You are like a jewel out among rocks, Pygmy. Such a colorful personality, it really is a pleasure to have met you.” Susan arrived with the drinks, one down next to Pygmy, and the other next to the Rider, who had barely even finished his first. He attempted to down it in one gulp. He needed a buzz with this conversation. Smacking the mug down on the table, he scrunched his face up for a moment from the bitter taste left in his mouth. “A horse? Why bother with those slow beasts when you could ride an eagle.” He grinned, “Far faster, far fiercer, and if someone pisses you off, they’ll be more than willing to eat the bastard.”

[Dhanya]

"I think they just buy some more when they get low." She replied, not joking in the least.

She laughed in surprise at Amon's response to her rudeness. First at his praise and slow step away from formality, then at the fact that he had finally sworn, the only time he had in their short acquaintance. Pygmy was floored, she had never heard of flying on eagles before. Amon had surprised her. She liked it.

"Only when someone asks for it..." She said slyly. "Where do you find an eagle? I've never heard of someone riding one!"

She let it all sink in, taking a sip of her beer again before laughing anew.

"You swore!" She chuckled loudly. "We should go dancing!"

Yes, Amon was a keeper it seemed. She wanted to keep him around to hear more about his eagles and bastards that had been eaten by them.

[Amon]

Maybe it was the influence of the liquor or simply the fact that he has grown more comfortable with Pygmy, but he seemed more relaxed, less strict on himself and his speech patterns and was willing to say what was on his mind without regret. "That doesn't sound at all advantageous for the female half involved, " He mused, scratching his cheek idly. His accent was still prominent, but hearing the girl speak Common gave him more confidence, to the point that his words now weren't fumbled with or seemingly oddly formal. "Where do you find one?" He grinned, "I flew on one! He's flying around the Cobalt Mountains at this very moment, waiting for my lazy ass to get back." He directed a wink at Pygmy. "So I did, is that surprising?" He took another gulp of his beer, setting it down with another thud. "I enjoy making a good impression on a first meeting, but you," he pointed at her, "you're something else, I can be more like myself without fear of being chided." Maybe he was getting drunk. Liquor never truly suited him. Wine was far better tasting by a long shot. This, this to him was like water that held a fermented fish for far too long. Whatever, he most likely wouldn't remember it in the morning anyway. "Dance where?"

[Dhanya]

"It is a little surprising!" Pygmy said, spilling a little of her beer as she put her glass down. "You were so polite before, it's cute!"

Amon wasn't the only one who was feeling more loose and festive. Pygmy's mood had been greatly improved by finally having a meal that was both filling and enjoyable. She slid off her seat and moved onto Amon's side of the bench.

"There are sooo many places to dance, most of them are awful but one or two have decent singers. I'm a singer too, you know." She said, one knee on the bench, the other on the floor and supporting her weight. "I can always chide you later if you want me to."

She tugged on his sleeve, ready to leave now.

"Come on, we'll drop off your box and then we can go out on the town. You can tell me all about your enormous eagle. Why didn't you bring it with you?" She dearly wanted to see such a thing.